A commercial blaze in downtown Conroe destroyed a longtime business, damaging a nearby vehicle and igniting a power line Monday night.

Conroe Police and the Conroe Fire Department responded to the fire at Williams Furniture, located at 829 North Frazier Street, around 8:45 p.m. Monday. CPD Officer Kevin Johnson said he was the first to arrive on scene, heading north on Frazier when he saw the building.

“The building was completely involved when I got here,” Johnson said.

He immediately recognized blue sparks shooting off a nearby power line and saw a vehicle on fire, an SUV parked next to the building. He investigated the vehicle to determine whether anyone was inside and shortly afterward the vehicle exploded, shooting a small ball of fire out of the engine compartment.

Despite the sparks coming from the power line, Johnson said he was confident the blaze originated in the building, which caused the power line and vehicle ignition. Nobody was inside the building at the time of the fire and no one was injured, he said, although nearby patrons complained of possible smoke and heat damage to their vehicles.

Conroe fire marshals were unable to comment on a possible cause as of press time.

“They’ve been a landmark. That’s a nice family there. They‘re all hard workers and it’s a tragedy,” said Steve Jung, owner of the Blossom Shop across North Frazier Street.

Jung said he was preparing for Valentine’s Day when he saw fire coming out of the window of the furniture store. He made a 911 call, although others had reported the incident first, and said it was several minutes before firefighters arrived. His mother, Mary Lou Jung, said the Blossom Shop has been in business for more than 20 years and Williams Furniture has been located nearby for several years.

The furniture store is owned by Mrs. Williams and her sons, Mary Lou Jung said, although she did not know their names. She believes they own another furniture business in Huntsville.

“I’m just devastated by this,” Mary Lou Jung said. “That’s a very hard-working family and those boys are so devoted to their mama.”